Read the text (by yourself - 1 min., aloud - 2 min.). In the vast grasslands of Kazakhstan in Central Asia, nomadic huntsmen (“burkutchi”) still follow their passion for hunting with golden eagles

Hunters in the sky

In the vast grasslands of Kazakhstan in Central Asia, nomadic huntsmen (“burkutchi”) still follow their passion for hunting with golden eagles. For many centuries, these huge birds of prey have been trained to protect sheep from wolves and foxes. The skins of the dead animals then used for furs. It is said that a trained eagle is worth twelve horses.

The fifty pure-bred eagles which remain in Kazakhstan have been trained to hunt by the skilled “burkutchi”. Female eagles are both larger and stronger than the male and can have a wingspan of up to two meters. A young female is taken from the nest just after it has learnt to fly. The bird is hooded to keep it calm and is kept on a lead which is gradually lengthened. It is taught to feed from the huntsman’s gloved hand. The eagle must be taught to hunt only the prey which has been identified by its master and to return to his cry “Kel! Kel! Kel!”. For this it is rewarded with all kinds of delicacies and special grooming for its feathers. Hunting is done from horseback with the hooded eagle riding on the burkutchi’s right forearm. When the burkutchi sights the prey, for instance a fox, the bird is unhooded and immediately takes off in pursuit. The fox is grabbed by the bird’s claws and held until the burkutchi catches up, leaps off his horse and kills the prey. A good hunting -eagle can catch up to fifty foxes in one season. A twelve-year-old bird is believed to have captured fourteen wolves in a single day many years ago.

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